How Weber Grill Restaurant started and has grown
An interview with Lauren Rullo, sales and marketing manager at Weber Grill Restaurant.
Q: Tell us a little bit about the Weber Grill.
A: Weber Grill Restaurant is a sister company to Weber Stephen Products, producer of Weber Grills. Without George Stephen and his invention of the Weber Grill, the backyard barbecue phenomenon wouldn't be the same as it is today. George's invention is part of American History and its immeasurable worldwide growth is a result of the family's passion and dedication to quality and family values.
George Stephen and his wife Margaret had 12 children, and today, five of his children serve on the board of directors for the Weber Grill Restaurant group. Not only does the family contribute to the company through board membership, but they all contribute to the restaurant's day to day operations. It is not uncommon to find Jim Stephen in Lombard's service station or speaking with a guest about their meal. The Stephen family shares the same passion for the Weber Grill now as they did in 1952.
Q: When did it all start?
A: Weber is known as a backyard legend. It all started back in 1952 when George Stephen invented the Weber Kettle, fashioning the first Weber grill out of two buoy halves while working at Weber Brothers Metal works in Chicago. This revolutionary design proved to be more efficient and easier to maintain than other grills, while offering better charcoal temperature control and enhancing the flavor of grilled food. Soon, the Weber covered-cooking method became a hit for backyard barbecues across the country. George's grills became so popular that he branched out on his own and went into full time production. Already having brand recognition, George kept the Weber name. Today, the grill manufacturing company that we are associated with is called Weber-Stephen Products LLC.
Q: And the restaurants?
A: Through his love of entertaining and desire to showcase his grills, George Stephen entered the restaurant business. The first Weber Grill Restaurant was established in January of 1989 in Wheeling. It was the first of its kind, featuring outdoor food grilled indoors on authentic Weber Charcoal Kettles. The restaurant showed the public you could cook more than just burgers, ribs and chicken on Weber Grills. This was the beginning of fire-inspired cooking. Ten years later our Lombard location opened and four new restaurants followed after this. We now have locations in Lombard, Chicago, Schaumburg, Indianapolis and St. Louis.
Q: What is the supper club?
A: Our Lombard location has recently started a Friday Night Supper Club where the chef team creates an exclusive seasonal menu that is only available by ticket. It is an interactive dining experience where one of our chef's visits your table to talk about the menu, and why they choose what they did. You also are offered a tour of the grilling area in our open kitchen to see the Weber Grills in action. Additionally our in house certified Sommelier provides a custom wine pairing to compliment your menu, and we send you home with a gift to remember your night by.
Q: What is Weber on Wheels?
A: Weber on Wheels is our off premise catering and On-site Grilling services. Our services range from delicious party platters delivered to your door to full-service catering with on-site grilling. For our On-Site Grilling events we bring the authentic Weber Charcoal Grills, the grill masters and the food to be prepared right then and there, so everything is hot off the grill.
Q: What does the venue have to offer when it comes to corporate meetings?
A: Outside of just having a regular post meeting dinners for our corporate guests, we are able to add that extra little sizzle to your event. We offer Hands On Charcoal cooking classes where your group could learn tips from the grill masters themselves, and prepare their own meal. We have hosted Burger Battles as team builders, or even worked with local corporations to help them raise money for their charity with our On-Site Grilling Events. We have even hosted off premise Hands On Cooking classes for some of our favorite corporate clients.
Q: Describe the atmosphere.
A: Weber Grill Restaurants embody the spirit of grilling. The open kitchen environment adds to the excitement as patrons can watch the chefs prepare meals over an open flame on authentic giant Weber charcoal grills - all indoors. We want to impress our guests with inspired fire-cooking of the highest quality at a competitive value.
Q: Tell us one interesting fact about Weber Grill that most people may not know.
A: It pays to visit the Weber Grill Restaurants regularly. We began the Grill Club, our loyalty program for acknowledging and rewarding guests, in 2014 and it now has 25,814 active members and grows daily. Grill Club members not only earn points on food and beverage with their visits, we also send them special offers and host events by invitation only for them.
Weber Grill Restaurant
Locations: Lombard, Schaumburg, Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis
Owner: The Stephen family
Number of employees: The company now oversees about 450 employees, 70 of which are a part of the Lombard location
Business started: First restaurant was in Wheeling in 1989
Web address: www.webergrillrestaurant.com